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The circulatory system, often referred to as the cardiovascular system, is a network of organs and vessels that transports blood throughout the body. Its primary components are the heart, blood vessels—including arteries, veins, and capillaries—and blood itself. The heart functions as a muscular pump, delivering oxygen‑rich blood to tissues while returning deoxygenated blood to the lungs for re‑oxygenation. Arteries carry high‑pressure blood away from the heart, veins carry it back under lower pressure, and capillaries facilitate exchange of nutrients, gases, and waste products between blood and cells.

Circulatory system functions include maintenance of blood pressure, distribution of hormones, thermoregulation, and immune responses. Blood pressure is regulated by a combination of cardiac output, peripheral resistance, and blood volume, coordinated by nervous and endocrine mechanisms.

Common disorders affecting the system encompass cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart failure, and valvular heart disease, as well as conditions like atherosclerosis, hypertension, and peripheral arterial disease. Risk factors include smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle.

Diagnostic tools are varied: electrocardiography (ECG) records electrical activity, echocardiography visualizes heart structure and function, angiography images blood vessels, and blood tests assess lipid profiles and biomarkers. Management strategies focus on lifestyle modification, pharmacotherapy (e.g., statins, antihypertensives), and, when necessary, surgical interventions such as angioplasty or bypass grafting.

An understanding of the circulatory system’s anatomy, physiology, and disease processes is essential for medical professionals and educators. It informs prevention strategies, early detection, and treatment of conditions that remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.